1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to provers and, more particularly, to a sensor for detecting the rate and quantity of leaks about the translating shaft extending from the prover.
2. Description of Related Prior Art
U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,650,775 and 8,161,791 are owned by Flow Management Devices, LLC, the present Assignee. As the present invention is related to an important addition to provers of the type described in these two patents, both patents are incorporated herein by reference.
A purpose of a prover is to determine the quantity of fluid flowing therethrough. As a result, the measurements relating to such quantity of fluid must be extremely precise. To achieve this end, fluid flows in one end of a cylinder, which cylinder includes a piston rectilinearly translatable from a location proximate one end of the cylinder to a location proximate the other end of the cylinder. After translation of the piston, the fluid flows out of the other end of the cylinder. The piston is supported upon a shaft extending from each end of the cylinder and is supported by sealed bearings, seals and bearings, or the like. Leakage of fluid through the seals will have an impact upon the fluid flow measurements being undertaken. Such leakage is unacceptable if in excess of a small quantity per time.
If leakage beyond an acceptable quantity/rate occurs, the seals attendant the translating shaft must be replaced. Such replacement is not only expensive in terms of time to effect the repair but more importantly, the downtime of the prover is generally far more critical and fiscally devastating.
Some leakage through the sealed bearings attendant the shaft is likely to occur over time. When the leakage per time exceeds a predetermined amount, repair must be undertaken to maintain the integrity of the measurements provided by the prover.
None of the known prior art is capable of determining the quantity of leakage per time, other than in a very gross manner as a function of accumulation of the fluid on a surface beneath the leaking bearing.